When should I stop referring to myself as a beginner

[drrich2]

If someone described themselves as a "beginner" I'd expect they'd likely have poor buoyancy control or use a lot of air or constantly using their hands or they might need reminding of the "basics". To me, when you're certified and reach the level of skill (and more importantly comfort) that you can safely dive with a buddy without violating limits inadvertently or causing problems for others in a routine recreational dive, then you've progressed past being a "beginner".

What this means to me is there comes a time when you feel like you know what you are doing. You feel like you belong on the boat (or wherever). You are confident that you can do the dive you are about to do safely. At the same time, you have a healthy respect for the inherent danger in what you are about to do.

I really like these 2 bits. If you've an interest in sign posts you're coming along, perhaps also consider...

1.) Is your weighting decently dialed in?
2.) Ideally, do you have decent trim?
3.) When you dive with a buddy, or a group, do you feel the need for a senior diver (e.g.: seasoned buddy or one of the guides) to 'watch over' you, or do you feel like a reasonably able member of the (customer) peer group?

It's not a one time passage. If I were to head out to shore dive northern California, or decided to venture into technical diving, I'd be a beginner, requiring instructors/mentors to teach and guide me.

Richard.

 

[boulderjohn]

It's not a one time passage. If I were to head out to shore dive northern California, or decided to venture into technical diving, I'd be a beginner, requiring instructors/mentors to teach and guide me.

It's a good point. As you progress in your diving and take on new experiences, your perception of yourself will change.

When I was an instructor with about 400 dives, I had a pretty high opinion of myself and my abilities. That is when I started technical diving, and I realized that, once again, I was a beginner. It was the most humiliating experience of my scuba life, having my self-perception plummet like that.

I did tech diving for a while, and my skills grew, and so did my self-perception. Then I started cave diving, and....and....

Today I am a far more skilled and experienced diver than I was back when I was an instructor with more than 400 dives, but I have a far lower estimate of my abilities relative to the whole of the world of diving. The difference is that now I have seen enough people with skills far beyond mine to have a more reasonable estimate of where I stand. Back then, I did not know those people and those skills existed, so I thought I was much closer to the top of the heap than I really was.

 

[tomfcrist]

As others have stated, we are all beginners at something. I think there is value in questioning your skill set, and especially your ego.

In my opinion, ego is the leading cause of dive accidents if you discount medical episodes that happen to happen underwater. How many “top notch” divers croak due to seemingly stupid mistakes? A lot...because their ego overpowered their ability to use common sense.

 

[Hoag]

As to if you are a beginner, IMHO is is not a binary choice of yes I am or no I'm not. There is an infinite number of areas between the "Yes" and the "No".

Here are a couple things (not a comprehensive list by any means) to ponder:
If you do something that qualifies as one or more of the "3Ds" (dumb, dangerous, or different) do you recognize it and correct it yourself or does somebody find it before you do? (Keep in mind that your buddy should be there to back you up if you do get something wrong.)
Is this the first time you have done this type of dive? You might be very experienced, but if you have never done a __________ dive before, then it is probably safe to say that you are a beginner in that type of diving. (I have slightly over 400 dives and probably less than 20 of them are night dives. I consider myself to be an absolute beginner when it comes to night dives.)
If you find yourself in a situation that you have never faced before, do you have enough experience that you can rely on that to guide you through what your response should be?
When on the boat, do people ever ask you questions and if so, do you feel comfortable helping that person out?

How you react in these situations might give you some insight as to whether you are still a beginner or if you are simply a diver. Also, how you respond to them today, will likely change dramatically if you were to look back at them after you get back from your week on the LOB next spring.

 

[boulderjohn]

Here is another story.

I signed up for a dive in the dive shop the day before the dive, and the shop owner handled the transaction. I showed my instructor card, and we had a pleasant chat about where I instructed, etc. I showed up at the boat the next day with all my gear, and when I boarded, the DM noted that I did not have a buddy, and buddies were required on that boat. He turned to the father and son setting up their gear next to me and asked if it would be alright if I dived with them. The father growled (and I mean "growled"), "I don't know. Does he know what he's doing?" The DM said, "I don't know." He turned to me and asked, "Do you know what you're doing?" I was a bit peeved, so I simply said, "I have a pretty fair idea." The father accepted me with very open reluctance.

As we set up our gear, I could not help but see that they were setting theirs up incorrectly. I showed them their mistakes and gave them the kind of suggestions I would give new students so that they could remember next time. They did not thank me.

Then the owner got on the boat. Seeing me, he came over and started to chat. He asked who I was diving with, and when I pointed, his eyes grew wide with alarm. He quickly went over to the other side of the boat, chatted with some people there, came back over, and helped me move my gear over to them. We had a great dive together.

The father and son? I saw them briefly. They remain among the truest beginners I have ever seen outside of an OW class. I guess your self-perception is not always all that accurate.

 

[Dogbowl]

Here is another story.

I signed up for a dive in the dive shop the day before the dive, and the shop owner handled the transaction. I showed my instructor card, and we had a pleasant chat about where I instructed, etc. I showed up at the boat the next day with all my gear, and when I boarded, the DM noted that I did not have a buddy, and buddies were required on that boat. He turned to the father and son setting up their gear next to me and asked if it would be alright if I dived with them. The father growled (and I mean "growled"), "I don't know. Does he know what he's doing?" The DM said, "I don't know." He turned to me and asked, "Do you know what you're doing?" I was a bit peeved, so I simply said, "I have a pretty fair idea." The father accepted me with very open reluctance.

As we set up our gear, I could not help but see that they were setting theirs up incorrectly. I showed them their mistakes and gave them the kind of suggestions I would give new students so that they could remember next time. They did not thank me.

Then the owner got on the boat. Seeing me, he came over and started to chat. He asked who I was diving with, and when I pointed, his eyes grew wide with alarm. He quickly went over to the other side of the boat, chatted with some people there, came back over, and helped me move my gear over to them. We had a great dive together.

The father and son? I saw them briefly. They remain among the truest beginners I have ever seen outside of an OW class. I guess your self-perception is not always all that accurate.

That's so funny...embarrassing for the father and son team, but I doubt they have a clue. I'm always of the view that there are "crouching tigers and hidden dragons". Hence, I do not ever overestimate myself, especially in front of others.

 

[TMHeimer]

I go to South Florida for two months every year, and I do a good amount of diving while I am there. I see a lot of familiar faces, some of which I have come to know and some that simply look very familiar. These people must dive a lot. I once overheard a conversation between 2 silver haired veterans that will illustrate a point.

One was saying that after all those years and all those dives, he still feels nervous every time he puts on his gear before a dive. The other one replied, "I get nervous every time I see you put on your gear before a dive, too."

The first comment indicated that for many people, they never get over the feeling that they are still just beginners. The response shows they can still joke and laugh about that feeling, which shows they really do feel a true sense of confidence despite that feeling.

What this means to me is there comes a time when you feel like you know what you are doing. You feel like you belong on the boat (or wherever). You are confident that you can do the dive you are about to do safely. At the same time, you have a healthy respect for the inherent danger in what you are about to do.

A precise analysis of my idea of treating each dive as if it were your first, even if you are very familiar with the site. Be confident but careful, anything can happen, knock wood.

 

[northernone]

I'll chime in again seconding the idea of providing helpful information about your dive desires and comfort levels. Particularly in new environments.

My most memorable experience related to this was an instructor candidate who had towards 800 dives and considered himself an experienced diver, talked a great talk and had tons of dive stories.

However, he had never descended using a visual reference in somewhat low visibility (6ft) and was not comfortable in a full wetsuit. The pond we dove to 35ft was entirely beyond his ability to cope.

The resulting panic and bolt to the surface left us suprised and himself shaken.

A few better descriptive terms would have been helpful in his case.

Regards,
Cameron

 

[Dogbowl]

I'll chime in again seconding the idea of providing helpful information about your dive desires and comfort levels. Particularly in new environments.

My most memorable experience related to this was an instructor candidate who had towards 800 dives and considered himself an experienced diver, talked a great talk and had tons of dive stories.

However, he had never descended using a visual reference in somewhat low visibility (6ft) and was not comfortable in a full wetsuit. The pond we dove to 35ft was entirely beyond his ability to cope.

The resulting panic and bolt to the surface left us suprised and himself shaken.

A few better descriptive terms would have been helpful in his case.

Regards,
Cameron

What was he diving those 800 dives?

 

[northernone]

What was he diving those 800 dives?

An aquarium in the states, Florida keys, Bahamas, Fiji, Philippines and a few other warm water spots I forget